A 29-year-old Waggaman man has now been charged with nine home burglaries that occurred in Luling and Ama in May and early June.

Christopher Watkins was arrested two weeks ago after detectives who were part of a burglary task force made a traffic stop on a silver four-door compact car that had been seen at the site of several West Bank burglaries.

Watkins was in possession of items stolen from an Ama home a day before his arrest and authorities say they found a stolen gun and burglary tools in the vehicle. Watkins was also riding around with a cross bow that was stolen from a Waggaman home, authorities said.

Watkins was immediately charged with the Ama and Waggaman home burglaries, but detectives have now linked him to eight other burglaries that occurred in Mimosa Park, Willowdale and on Barton Avenue in Luling, St. Charles Parish Sheriff Greg Champagne said on Saturday.

Champagne thanked the hard work of his detectives and deputies as well as assistance his office received from the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office and the Westwego Police Department.

Along with the burglary charges, Watkins has also been charged with several counts of the possession of stolen property.